Quick detachable button

ABSTRACT

A button with a plastic shank is removably secured to a fastener bar that is sewed or riveted to a garment. The shank of the button has a transverse slit in it of the same thickness as the thickness of the fastener bar; and this slit terminates in a hole just below the head of the button which is of the same diameter as the width of the fastener bar. The button can be mounted on the fastener bar by slipping the slit in its shank over the fastener bar and then turning the button so that the bar enters and engages in the hole in the shank. To remove the button from the bar it is first turned to have the fastener bar aligned with the slit in the button shank, and then the shank is slid off the fastener bar.

United States Patent [1 1 Myers et al.

1 1 QUICK DETACHABLE BUTTON [76] Inventors: Julia S. Myers, 170 North Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18701; Paul F. Wilber, 1950 58th Ave., N., Apt. R-3, St. Petersburg, Fla. 33714 22 Filed: April 7,1971

21 Appl.No.: 131,918

[52] US. Cl. ..24/104, 24/108, 24/109 [51] Int. Cl. ..A44b 1/28, A44b 1/38 [58] Field of Search ..24/104, 108, 109

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,203,017 6/1940 Illsche ..24/ 108 X 2,713,187 7/1955 Chaves ..24/104 5]March 20, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 42,102 5/1910 Austria ..24/109 Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam Attorney-ShIesinger, Fitzsimmons & Shlesinger [57] ABSTRACT A button with a plastic shank is removably secured to a fastener bar that is sewed or riveted to a garment. The shank of the button has a transverse slit in it of the same thickness as the thickness of the fastener bar; and this slit terminates in a hole just below the head of the button which is of the same diameter as the width of the fastener bar. The button can be mounted on the fastener bar by slipping the slit in its shank over the fastener bar and then turning the button so that the bar enters and engages in the hole in the shank. To remove the button from the bar it is first turned to have the fastener bar aligned with the slit in the button shank, and then the shank is slid off the-fastener bar.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing; Figures 10/l924 Switzerland "2 1/109 QUICK DETACHABLE BUTTON The present invention relates to buttons and to means for fastening buttons to garments.

Plastic buttons are being used more and more frequently on garments; but one disadvantage of plastic buttons heretofore has been that they are liable to breakage and to destruction or spoilage in dry cleaning processes.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a combination button and fastener, which will permit the use of plastic buttons, but which will allow quick removal of the buttons from the fastening means prior to a dry cleaning operation, and quick replacement of the buttons again on the fastening means after dry cleaning.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination button and fastener which is of simple construction and reasonable in price.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a detachable button construction which will enable a person readily to change buttons on a garment to suit different occasions or uses, for instance.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:-

FIG. 1 is a side view of a button made according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the button taken at right angles to that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the fastener;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the fastener;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the button in process of being assembled on the fastener;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation showing the button assembled on the fastener, and the fastener secured to a garment; and 3 FIG. 7 is a view at right angles to FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, 10 denotes the button, and 11 the fastener by which the button can be removably secured to a garment F. The button has a head 12, which may be of any desired shape, and a shank 14, which is preferably integral with the head, and which projects from one side of the head. The shank 14 has a slit 15 therein which extends transversely through the shank and terminates just below the head in an enlarged hole 16 that also extends transversely through the shank.

The fastener l is a piece of flat metal having cars 18 at its two ends extending laterally therefrom and pierced as denoted at 19 so that thread can be passed therethrough to sew the fastener to a garment F. The fastener is bent upwardly intermediate its ends as denoted at 20, so that the slit 15 in the shank 14 of the button can be slid onto this struck-up, bridge portion of the fastener, and the button can then be turned to permit the bridge portion of the fastener to engage in the hole 16 of the shank.

The slot 15 in the button shank should be made of the same thickness as the thickness of the fastener bar, as, for instance, 0.25 inch; and the hole 16 in the shank should be of the same diameter as the fastener bar is wide, for instance, 0.075 inch. Thus, the button will be held securely on the fastener in use, but by turning the button sidewise and pulling on the button head to move the slit I5 out of t e bridge portion of the fastener, the button can be removed from the fastener, as, for instance, for dry cleaning the garment.

The button, including its shank, is preferably made of nylon for strength, and for flexibility. This flexibility permits making the slit in the shank, as suggested above, of the same thickness as the fastener bar, and the hole 16 of the same diameter as the width of the fastener bar. Thus the shank of the button will yield to receive the fastener bar, and yet grip the fastener bar securely when the button is in place. i

If desired, the shank can be made separate from the 7 button head and secured thereto by, for instance, epoxy cement.

Obviously, this invention lends itself to changing of buttons on a garment. For instance, different sets of buttons could be provided of different color, kind and shape of plastic; and one set of buttons might be worn for, for instance, day wear and another set for night wear. The invention lends itself to great flexibility in the selection and use of buttons on garments.

While the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any modifications of the invention that come within the scope of the in vention, or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim 1. The combination with a button,

of a bar for removably securing said button to a garment,

said bar being attached at both ends to the garment and having an offset bridge portion between its ends, said button having a head and a shank projecting from one side of said head and secured at one end to said head,

said shank having a slot extending transversely completely through it which has an entering end at the other end of said shank and which extends toward said head,

said shank having a hole below said head which communicates with said slot and which also extends transversely completely through said shank,

said slot being of a thickness not less than the thickness of said bar, and said hole having a width not less than the width of said bar,'whereby said button may be removably secured to the garment by sliding the entering end of said slot onto the bridge portion of said bar, passing the length of said slot over said bridge portion, and turning the button, after the bar has been passed through the length of the slot, to engage said bridge portion in said hole so that said bridge portion extends transversely of said slot.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said shank is of flexible plastic material.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2, wherein said slot is of the same thickness as the thickness of said bar, and said hole is of the same width as said bar. 

1. The combination with a button, of a bar for removably securing said button to a garment, said bar being attached at both ends to the garment and having an offset bridge portion between its ends, said button having a head and a shank projecting from one side of said head and secured at one end to said head, said shank having a slot extending transversely completely through it which has an entering end at the other end of said shank and which extends toward said head, said shank having a hole below said head which communicates with said slot and which also extends transversely completely through said shank, said slot being of a thickness not less than the thickness of said bar, and said hole having a width not less than the width of said bar, whereby said button may be removably secured to the garment by sliding the entering end of said slot onto the bridge portion of said bar, passing the length of said slot over said bridge portion, and turning the button, after the bar has been passed through the length of the slot, to engage said bridge portion in said hole so that said bridge portion extends transversely of said slot.
 2. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said shank is of flexible plastic material.
 3. The combination claimed in claim 2, wherein said slot is of the same thickness as the thickness of said bar, and said hole is of the same width as said bar. 